SHIPPING CRATES 75 



crate. Tops are made lengthwise with cross piece at front, middle, 

 and one inch from back, so tail boards can be put in up and down; 

 these are less liable to rub tail than when a hog is nailed in with 

 strips across the crate as in front. Crates four and one-half 

 feet long, and longer, should have center standards to strengthen 

 the crate. Bred sows should have good roomy crates, especially 

 in width. 



Kinds of Timber Used. I believe that linden sometimes 

 called basswood makes even a better crate than elm or poplar, but 

 this is also hard to be found and as high in price as clear cork 

 pine, so that one is almost compelled to use such material as can 

 be found in his own vicinity. "We have used a little half-inch 

 beechwood for the sides of crates for light pigs, which is fairly 

 satisfactory but inclined to split when driving nails in it, unless 

 previously softened by placing the ends in water. We once bought 

 a dozen or so of the nicest shipping crates that it is possible to im- 

 agine, made of electric welded woven wire sides, end and top, 

 so hinged and locked together that they made an ideal crate which 

 could be quickly knocked down and returned in a collapsed form 

 to the shipper. A plainly printed, substantial tag was fastened 

 on each crate giving directions to the receiver of the animal to 

 please knock clown and return. This was usually done, but oc- 

 casionally a man receiving it would either forget to return the 

 crate or imagine that it belonged to him, and in this way the 

 original number purchased by us, after a year or two, were 

 all lost by not being returned. We decided, however, to try them 

 again and ordered a new lot, only to find that the party making 

 them had gone out of business and he replied that he was unable 

 to make any more. If his patent could be secured by some enter- 

 prising company and the crates made in large numbers, I think 

 they would prove very profitable to the manufacturer, as they 

 are the most satisfactory shipping crates that can be conceived 

 of for hogs of all ages. 



There should be a manufacturing company somewhere that 

 would get together all these conveniences for the equipment of 

 swine breeding farms. 



Preparing a Pig for Shipment. Some men think that when a 

 pig is to be shipped some distance he must be stuffed with an 

 unusually large feed the morning he is to leave. This is a mis- 

 take. We had rather the pig would not be fed the morning he is 

 to be shipped, as he will ship better and arrive at destination 

 in better condition without his morning feed, unless it is a dis- 

 tance that will require more than two days. This may seem strange 

 to a beginner but an old breeder generally prefers to ship his 

 pigs on an empty stomach. Particularly is this true when pigs 

 are shipped during the hot months, as they will ship cooler by 

 simply having what water they will drink and no feed. 



It is well to brush the pig and make him thoroughly clean be- 

 fore he is crated; then he should be sprayed with a disinfectant 



